Do oyster shells need prep work

[Tōtōchtin]

I was wondering if oyster shells need to be boiled or cleaned in any way. Or can I just bring them home from the beach and just wash them off?
Tōtō

[Tōtōchtin]

What I was wondering really, do they need to be acid etched,or baked so the calcium is more accessible to the mash.

[NZChris]

I don’t need them for every ferment, but when I do use them, I pour boiling water over them to kill any bacteria.

[squigglefunk]

I don’t need them for every ferment, but when I do use them, I pour boiling water over them to kill any bacteria.

this is what I did with my shells and they worked fine, no weird clam infections.

[Stonecutter]

I also boil mine. I’ve only used them for sugar wash where my end goal was something with little to no flavor and so I figure it’s just one more step I can take to keep those kinds of ferments “clean” or controlled.

[squigglefunk]

What I was wondering really, do they need to be acid etched,or baked so the calcium is more accessible to the mash.

no

[Stonecutter]

no weird clam infections.

+1
I can’t imagine that would be good for any type of ferment.

[zed255]

I use crushed shell sold as a chicken supplement and have not done anything aside from a rinse in fresh water. No issues with an infection.

[jonnys_spirit]

I use crushed shell sold as a chicken supplement and have not done anything aside from a rinse in fresh water. No issues with an infection.

Same here. There's usually quite a bit of "dust" to be rinsed off and in my heart I always know deep down that it's really dried chicken shti... But oh well!

Cheers,
j

[shadylane]

I use the crushed shells as is. The dust is the first to dissolve.

[Deplorable]

I use crushed shell sold as a chicken supplement and have not done anything aside from a rinse in fresh water. No issues with an infection.

Same here. There's usually quite a bit of "dust" to be rinsed off and in my heart I always know deep down that it's really dried chicken shti... But oh well!

Cheers,
j

Chicken sh*t is high in nitrogen.
Probably higher than DAP and people put that in their ferments.
Lol

[lest1]

i run them through the dishwasher a few times

[Canuckwoods]

I use crushed shell sold as a chicken supplement and have not done anything aside from a rinse in fresh water. No issues with an infection.

Same here. There's usually quite a bit of "dust" to be rinsed off and in my heart I always know deep down that it's really dried chicken shti... But oh well!

Cheers,
j

The chickens haven't seen them yet so it's not chicken shit it's just shell dust I toss it in as it's fast acting and the larger pieces work slower.

[BoomTown]

I use, personally emptied, Bluestone oysters, after a brief boil and light scrubbing (no soap) to remove lingering proteins, I reuse them as often as they last, though they eventually disappear, like socks in the wash. Two shell halfs per fermenter. Never have had intruder bacteria result.

[lest1]

i use shells from Kilpatrick and run the through the dishwasher twice , pretty easy

gets rid of everything

[Hoosier Shine9]

We Shuck em, then we flour & fry.
make into a Po-Boy, dressed of course.

shells go in the sun for a little while

hs9

[Salt Must Flow]

I've always used Crushed Oyster Shell straight out of the bag and never had any infections.